Democrat Michelle Nunn enters Georgia's U.S. Senate race

Democrat Michelle Nunn enters Georgia's U.S. Senate race

July 22nd, 2013by Associated Press in Local Regional News

In this Nov. 3, 2011, photo provided by A Billion + Change, Points of Light CEO Michelle Nunn speaks at the launch of A Billion + Change, a national campaign to mobilize billions of pro bono and skills-based service resources by 2013, at a ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington. The race for Georgia's U.S. Senate seat started to take shape Monday as Nunn, a Democrat, announced plans to run for her father's old seat, joining a crowded field of Republicans contenders.

Photo by
Associated Press
/Times Free Press.

CLARKSTON, Ga. - The race for Georgia's U.S. Senate seat started to take shape Monday as Democrat Michelle Nunn announced plans to run for her father's old seat, joining a crowded field of Republicans contenders.

Nunn, the daughter of former Democratic Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia and CEO of one of the nation's largest volunteer organizations, moved quickly to define herself as someone with the experience to set aside partisan rancor and build coalitions to solve the nation's problems.

"Wherever I go in Georgia people speak of their frustrations with what's not happening in Washington, that there is a focus on fighting instead of getting things done," Nunn said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I believe in the power of individuals to create change when they join together."

Nunn, 47, the daughter of former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn, becomes the first well-known Democrat to enter the race for the seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, a Republican. Democrats see Nunn's candidacy as a chance to make inroads in a southern state that they once dominated, but where Republicans now control the top statewide offices. Some say demographics are trending in the Democrats' favor. Republicans are making a push to win control of the U.S. Senate seat and cannot afford to lose the seat now held by Chambliss.

Michelle Nunn clearly hopes that talking about issues like reducing the federal deficit will position her well in a general election matchup. Nunn said she wants to work across party lines and pointed to her work as CEO of Points of Light, which was founded by former President George H.W. Bush.

Nunn also didn't hesitate to criticize President Barack Obama, saying she wishes more was being done to address the federal deficit.

"We need to take a much harder look at that and really make some hard choices, and I think neither side is willing to do that," Nunn said. "I've spent a lot of time looking at how people are willing to sacrifice for others and to be called upon for something greater than themselves, and I think that is a big part of the equation for solving the deficit."

Nunn, who is married with two children, also said some changes will need to be made to Obama's signature health care law. She said she sympathizes with small business owners who "are often burdened with too much regulation and too much taxes." She also said that some aspects of the law are beneficial, pointing to one element that allows parents to keep their young adult children on their health insurance plan until the age of 26.

"I think we need to look at it from a pragmatic perspective and fix the things that are not working and move it forward without all the politicizing," said Nunn, whose father, a moderate Democrat, served in the Senate from 1973 to 1997.

On the issue of abortion, Nunn said that she believes abortions should be "safe, legal and rare and that women should be ultimately able to make this very difficult personal decision in concert with their doctor and their family."

Nunn plans to file her official paperwork Tuesday to become a candidate and will hit the road next month to travel the state and meet with voters, said deputy campaign manager Zac Petkanas. The only other declared Democrat in the race is Branko Radulovacki, an Atlanta physician.

On the Republican side, U.S. Reps. Paul Broun of Athens, Phil Gingrey of Marietta and Jack Kingston of Savannah - along with former Secretary of State Karen Handel - have entered the race.